Chang Chun-hsiung
Encyclopedia
Chang Chun-hsiung born March 23, 1938, a politician in Taiwan
, is a former Premier of the Republic of China
. Chang was appointed to two separate terms as Premier, both under Chen Shui-bian
. His appointment by then-President Chen in 2000 marked the first time a Democratic Progressive Party
member occupied the premiership.
As a founding member of the Democratic Progressive Party
(DPP), he was a member of its Central Committee and Executive Member of its Central Standing Committee from 1986 to 2000.
) when Taiwan (then Formosa) was still a colony of Japan. He earned his LL.B. at the National Taiwan University
in 1960. As a lawyer
, he defended the victims of the Kaohsiung Incident
in 1980. From 1982 to 1986 he was President of the Kaohsiung Chapter of the YMCA
.
from 1983 to 2000. As a legislator, he was Executive Director and General Convener of the DPP Caucus from 1987 to 1988, 1990, and 1998 to 1999. He was Convener of the Judiciary Committee in 1991, of the Home and Border Affairs Committee in 92, and of the Transportation and Communications Committee in 95.
In 1994, Chang stood as the Democratic Progressive Party cadidate to run for the mayor of Kauhsiung, but was defeated by the Kuomintang incumbent Wu Den-yih
.
In the 2000 presidential election
he was General Manager of Chen Shui-bian
's Campaign. In the Chen Administration, he served as Secretary-General of the Office of the President
in 2000, Vice Premier of the ROC in 2000 and Premier of the Republic of China
from October 6, 2000 to February 1, 2002.
Since 2002, he has been Secretary General of the Democratic Progressive Party and a Senior Adviser in the Office of the President.
He ran in the 2004 Legislative Yuan election
as fourth on the DPP's nationwide slate and was easily elected but resigned (as he promised to do during the campaign) since the Pan-Green Coalition
failed to win a majority. He also tendered his resignation as Secretary-General of the Democratic Progressive Party to take responsibility for the defeat.
Chang was appointed as the chairman of the Straits Exchange Foundation
in 2005 after the death of the former chairman Koo Chen-fu
.With the resignation of Su Tseng-chang
as Premier on May 12, 2007, President
Chen Shui-bian
nominated Chang to fill the post of Premier a second time effective May 21, and Hung Chi-chang succeeded Chang as the chairman of the Straits Exchange Foundation. Su's resignation and Chang's second appointment as Premier marked the sixth premier that Chen Shui-bian has appointed during his two terms as President.
He and his first wife Hsu Jui-ying have 3 sons and 1 daughter.
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, is a former Premier of the Republic of China
Premier of the Republic of China
The President of the Executive Yuan , commonly known as the Premier of the Republic of China , is the head of the Executive Yuan, the executive branch of the Republic of China , which currently administers Taiwan, Matsu, and Kinmen. The premier is appointed by the President of the Republic of China...
. Chang was appointed to two separate terms as Premier, both under Chen Shui-bian
Chen Shui-bian
Chen Shui-bian is a former Taiwanese politician who was the 10th and 11th-term President of the Republic of China from 2000 to 2008. Chen, whose Democratic Progressive Party has traditionally been supportive of Taiwan independence, ended more than fifty years of Kuomintang rule in Taiwan...
. His appointment by then-President Chen in 2000 marked the first time a Democratic Progressive Party
Democratic Progressive Party
The Democratic Progressive Party is a political party in Taiwan, and the dominant party in the Pan-Green Coalition. Founded in 1986, DPP is the first meaningful opposition party in Taiwan. It has traditionally been associated with strong advocacy of human rights and a distinct Taiwanese identity,...
member occupied the premiership.
As a founding member of the Democratic Progressive Party
Democratic Progressive Party
The Democratic Progressive Party is a political party in Taiwan, and the dominant party in the Pan-Green Coalition. Founded in 1986, DPP is the first meaningful opposition party in Taiwan. It has traditionally been associated with strong advocacy of human rights and a distinct Taiwanese identity,...
(DPP), he was a member of its Central Committee and Executive Member of its Central Standing Committee from 1986 to 2000.
Early life
Chang was born in 1938 in the city of Kagi (present-day ChiayiChiayi
-Administration:-City attractions:*Chiayi Park*Sun Shooting Tower *Lantan *Historic Archives Building of Chiayi City*University of Chiayi*Chiayi Museum...
) when Taiwan (then Formosa) was still a colony of Japan. He earned his LL.B. at the National Taiwan University
National Taiwan University
National Taiwan University is a national co-educational university located in Taipei, Republic of China . In Taiwan, it is colloquially known as "Táidà" . Its main campus is set upon 1,086,167 square meters in Taipei's Da'an District. In addition, the university has 6 other campuses in Taiwan,...
in 1960. As a lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, he defended the victims of the Kaohsiung Incident
Kaohsiung Incident
The Kaohsiung Incident also known as the Formosa Incident, the Meilidao Incident or the Formosa Magazine incident was the result of pro-democracy demonstrations that occurred in Kaohsiung, Taiwan on December 10, 1979....
in 1980. From 1982 to 1986 he was President of the Kaohsiung Chapter of the YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
.
Political career
He was a member of the Legislative YuanLegislative Yuan
The Legislative Yuan is the unicameral legislature of the Republic of China .The Legislative Yuan is one of the five branches of government stipulated by the Constitution of the Republic of China, which follows Sun Yat-sen's Three Principles of the People...
from 1983 to 2000. As a legislator, he was Executive Director and General Convener of the DPP Caucus from 1987 to 1988, 1990, and 1998 to 1999. He was Convener of the Judiciary Committee in 1991, of the Home and Border Affairs Committee in 92, and of the Transportation and Communications Committee in 95.
In 1994, Chang stood as the Democratic Progressive Party cadidate to run for the mayor of Kauhsiung, but was defeated by the Kuomintang incumbent Wu Den-yih
Wu Den-yih
Wu Den-yih is a Taiwanese politician of the Kuomintang Party, and the current Premier of the Republic of China.-Personal:Wu was born in Tsaotun, Nantou County, Taiwan...
.
In the 2000 presidential election
ROC presidential election, 2000
The Election for the 10th-term President and Vice-President of the Republic of China , the second ever direct elections for President and Vice President of the Republic of China on Taiwan and the 10th under the 1947 Constitution, were held on March 18, 2000...
he was General Manager of Chen Shui-bian
Chen Shui-bian
Chen Shui-bian is a former Taiwanese politician who was the 10th and 11th-term President of the Republic of China from 2000 to 2008. Chen, whose Democratic Progressive Party has traditionally been supportive of Taiwan independence, ended more than fifty years of Kuomintang rule in Taiwan...
's Campaign. In the Chen Administration, he served as Secretary-General of the Office of the President
President of the Republic of China
The President of the Republic of China is the head of state and commander-in-chief of the Republic of China . The Republic of China was founded on January 1, 1912, to govern all of China...
in 2000, Vice Premier of the ROC in 2000 and Premier of the Republic of China
Premier of the Republic of China
The President of the Executive Yuan , commonly known as the Premier of the Republic of China , is the head of the Executive Yuan, the executive branch of the Republic of China , which currently administers Taiwan, Matsu, and Kinmen. The premier is appointed by the President of the Republic of China...
from October 6, 2000 to February 1, 2002.
Since 2002, he has been Secretary General of the Democratic Progressive Party and a Senior Adviser in the Office of the President.
He ran in the 2004 Legislative Yuan election
ROC legislative election, 2004
The Election for the 6th Legislative Yuan of the Republic of China on Taiwan was held on December 11, 2004. All 225 seats of the Legislative Yuan were up for election: 168 elected by popular vote, 41 elected on the basis of the proportion of nationwide votes received by participating political...
as fourth on the DPP's nationwide slate and was easily elected but resigned (as he promised to do during the campaign) since the Pan-Green Coalition
Pan-Green Coalition
The Pan-Green Coalition or Pan-Green Camp, is an informal political alliance of the Republic of China, commonly known as "Taiwan", consisting of the Democratic Progressive Party , Taiwan Solidarity Union , and the minor Taiwan Independence Party...
failed to win a majority. He also tendered his resignation as Secretary-General of the Democratic Progressive Party to take responsibility for the defeat.
Chang was appointed as the chairman of the Straits Exchange Foundation
Straits Exchange Foundation
The Straits Exchange Foundation is a semi-official organization set up by the Republic of China government to handle technical or business matters with the People's Republic of China...
in 2005 after the death of the former chairman Koo Chen-fu
Koo Chen-fu
Koo Chen-fu , was a Taiwanese businessman and diplomat. He led the Koos Group of companies from 1940 until his death. As a chairman of the Straits Exchange Foundation , Koo arranged the first direct talks between Taiwan and China since 1949 and served as Taiwan's negotiator in both the 1993 and...
.With the resignation of Su Tseng-chang
Su Tseng-chang
Su Tseng-chang is a Taiwanese politician of the Democratic Progressive Party. He is the former Premier of the Republic of China. Su actively campaigned for the Presidential nomination of the DPP, but finished second to Frank Hsieh in the nomination process...
as Premier on May 12, 2007, President
President of the Republic of China
The President of the Republic of China is the head of state and commander-in-chief of the Republic of China . The Republic of China was founded on January 1, 1912, to govern all of China...
Chen Shui-bian
Chen Shui-bian
Chen Shui-bian is a former Taiwanese politician who was the 10th and 11th-term President of the Republic of China from 2000 to 2008. Chen, whose Democratic Progressive Party has traditionally been supportive of Taiwan independence, ended more than fifty years of Kuomintang rule in Taiwan...
nominated Chang to fill the post of Premier a second time effective May 21, and Hung Chi-chang succeeded Chang as the chairman of the Straits Exchange Foundation. Su's resignation and Chang's second appointment as Premier marked the sixth premier that Chen Shui-bian has appointed during his two terms as President.
Family life
Chang maintained a long-term marriage-like relationship with a paramour while remaining legally married to his first wife, Hsu Jui-ying. After his first term as Premier, he and his first wife got a divorce, and in 2007 he married his paramour (Chu A-ying) as his second wife.He and his first wife Hsu Jui-ying have 3 sons and 1 daughter.